Fun for Kids at Library

Our local Milford on Sea library must surely be one of the most proactive in the country.  Led by Chris Minifie, Assistant Manager, our little library holds regular events for children, the older members of our community and also work to help the partially sighted.

In a time when we regularly hear of library closures, I would expect our local library is constantly under threat, and should it ever be lost it would affect so many in our village.

With the summer holidays now upon us, the team are working hard to give mums some free fun for little ones.

Toddlertime is taking place on the 3^rd August (9.30 to 10am) where toddlers can enjoy action rhymes and fun!  Big brothers and sisters are welcome too - there will be colouring and, of course, books available for them to read if they don't want to join in.

A Family Workshop by Creation Station is on Thursday 16^th August (2 to 3pm),  this is for ages 18 months to 7 years, and based on "Sharing a Shell" by Julia Donaldson. The activities will explore children's imaginative and creative play ideas, by using books as inspiration.  The afternoon will also include a Treasure Box discovery, an opportunity to create a framed 'sand-art' picture and shell character for a lolly stick book mark.

There is also a Story Making Workshop run by local author Cate Sweeney on Wednesday 22nd August (2 to 4pm). All children ages 7 tp 11 years can just go along and enjoy making stuff up and playing with words.

Local author Cate Sweeney said; “The aim is to get kids realising there is a lot of fun to be had in making up stories as well as reading them,” Cate is the author of children’s play Cloud Cuckoo Land as well as grown up novels. “I would never have written the stories I have without my local library. As a child I would always be borrowing books, reading plays, then later revising for exams. Libraries have always been places of wonder and escape for me. We should celebrate them as something that is living and breathing still.” The workshops will be drama based and show children the building blocks of storytelling as well as releasing the power of the imagination.

Both workshops have limited places, so please collect your FREE ticket, in advance, from the library.

For all of these activities parents/carers will need to remain in the library.

This year's ‘Story Lab’ Summer Reading Challenge is a celebration of story and imagination.  Read six books between 16th July and 14th September to collect stickers (be warned some of them stink!), a certificate and a medal.  When you have completed the challenge you name will be entered into a free prize draw for a set of children's classic books.

Each year the Challenge is based around an exciting theme which seeks to inject fun and creativity into reading to motivate primary school children aged four to 11 to read for pleasure. This year’s theme “Storylab”, takes them on an imaginative adventure based on the power of stories.

Milford on Sea Library is open:  Mon 2.30 - 5.30pm; Tue 2.30 - 4.30pm; Wed & Fri 10am - 12.30pm.

Tel: 01425 627013 | christine.minifie@hants.gov.uk